{ a swoop and a dart }

The Phone Photography Project: Registration Is Open!

I am extremely excited to announce that registration for The Phone Photography Project is open now! Why am I so excited? Because I have spent the better part of the last year dreaming up this class, researching for it, and testing/learning apps to prepare—and the better part of the last four months actively developing it. I got to invite some wildly amazing contributors (31, to be specific—I'm #32) to take part. Their perspectives and creative approaches to using their phones for photgraphy prove something I believe very strongly: a phone camera is not just a gadget. It is a real tool for art and photography and blogging and memory keeping, and it's a lot more powerful than people realize.

Hahahaha. Just in case there was any question about the extent of my research... Orange part: photos. Green part = apps. The yellow part mostly consists of a lot of photos currently living inside apps. It's a little app-heavy inside my phone these days : )

Some details:

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The Phone Photography Project
32 days of Android + iPhone photo challenges, daily inspiration, and app reviews

Need summer photo ideas or help improving your iPhone photography? Spend this July taking amazing photos with your iPhone or Android camera in The Phone Photography Project.

In this month-long workshop, you'll learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you as you document your summer adventures—with help from 32 incredible instructors. On top of daily smartphone photography challenges, you'll also enjoy:

• dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
• a handbook of 60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money*
• dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
• interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
• giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!

*Note: Many of the reviewed apps are available free in the App Store and Google Play, while the rest average about $1.99 each. App purchases are not required for participation in the class.

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Another reason to be excited: Despite our complete lack of knowledge about making a video, Bridget and I started our own production company in March and worked very hard to put together this:

 

That last frame in case you missed it:

See? Bee Productions. : )

She really was instrumental as a production assistant—and she was pretty proud of herself when the whole thing was finished, because I told her lots of people would be watching. (Hint hint—watch it!)

The workshop is being offered at an introductory price of $39 right now; the price will go back up in a few weeks. Overachiever that I am, I've been working tirelessly to make sure there is a TON of content, so you feel like you got a great deal. Trust me when I say: you will feel like you got a great deal : ) You don't have to be a scrapbooker to get a whole lot out of the content, either—in fact, there's really only a sliver of actual scrapbook-related jabber and a good chunk of other creative and crafty fun. Bottom line: if you have a smartphone, you are going to be amazed at how fun the world of phone photography really is!

Go check it out. You know I'm a huge believer in the value of a good project, and this one is going to be amazing!

An Incomplete Photo Record of What We've Been Up To

May is here, and that means—as usual—we're just trying to tread water in the Dillow House. You know when chaperoning a five-day science camping trip on the top of a mountain with a bunch of fifth graders sounds like the most relaxing thing that will happen in the next two months you're probably in trouble.

Here are some things we've been up to...

1. Matt has been stealing away a few minutes in the evenings to browse his new favorite site, Retronaut. I have not yet had time to browse yet, but I am very much enjoying some of his finds. I think I will frame these two pictures for Gracie's bedroom, because HELLO, Indian woman and Pablo Picasso. HOLDING OWLS.

2.We have had a whole lot of extra time in the evenings with the girls (a story for another day) and there has been some very fun baseball (er, wiffleball) playing at night with all five of us. Bridget is a fearsome hitter, though you couldn't tell by her Justice sweater dress and princess bat. She rarely misses, though.

3.

We have taken to calling Ellie the "disgrace to dingos everywhere" dog.

4. This is the funniest picture I have taken in a very long time. Last weekend when they went fishing she was happy to help with bait and catch fish, but wouldn't hold her catch for a picture. She was determined to be braver this time around. Hee.

 

Maddie just stuck her finger right through the mouth like she was born on the Columbia River or something. [shudder]

Bridget didn't go this time around because she was totally worn out from a birthday party, but her sisters decided they'd let her hold a fish for a picture. Poor fish wasn't going anywhere. Ha.

5.

 
Hee hee. I got out the old iMac DV this weekend with the intention of scrubbing it for recycling and Matt—the one without a packrat gene in his body—convinced me that we should keep it. It is kind of like a time capsule... "is that a TV, mama?"

I enjoyed a few rounds of my old favorite Tetris Max much to the girls' amusement. Oh, how I loved to play Tetris after I got home from a long day of teaching in Great Falls. (No really)(I am not making that up) What's especially funny about this picture (you know, beyond the fact that we're going to keep a 20th century computer for posterity) is that Marie apparently felt the need to add an exclamation point to her move into 10th place on the all-time record list. : )

6. Two of the seven of Gracie's hyacinths have been chomped by antelope but the rest are very nearly ready to bloom. The little owls are standing guard for her. If we can just get one of them to bloom before being chomped it will be a huge victory.

 

7. No photo yet... but stop back tomorrow because I have some BIG NEWS to share! : )

May Day

Despite a grass roots effort to quickly put into place a Wyoming Walpurgisnacht celebration, spring did not appear on May Day this year. Instead, we pushed our snow totals since April 1 to over 40" and had another snow day. The superintendent was quoted in the newspaper this morning saying that the school district might have to make up the day on June 8. Go check the calendar. Riiiiiiiight.

It was beautiful this morning. And now, it's time for it to be May. : )

Finding Your Photo Style Giveaway Winner!

Happy Friday morning! Time to announce the winner for Finding Your Photo Style. If the lucky number isn't yours, never fear—you have plenty of time to sign up before the class begins (May 23) and the introductory discount is still in effect. You have another chance to win this weekend courtesy of Cathy Zielske, and yet another chance to win next week... especially if you enter on your Lunch Break. : )

Random.org went to work this morning and chose lucky number 13!

Which happens to be sweet long-time reader Sarah:

Hooray! I'll be in touch, Sarah.

Don't forget, two more chances to win—there may be more out there, but these are the two I know about for sure!

Both unrelated and related: this little baby, who will be six years old in just two weeks, still loves to be in the middle of whatever mischief her sisters are into at the moment. I love taking pictures of relationships and personalities : )

Thanks for entering, everyone! Don't give up the good fight to make your camera work for you.

Giveaway: Finding Your Photo Style

I've been working the last few months on two Big Picture Classes photography workshops I'm extremely excited about (and no, you can't know the second one yet... but SOON). Today I have a seat to share in the first workshop, Finding Your Photo Style. I know just from working on my portion of the content that even if your style feels fairly comfortable and established, you'll still gain some very valuable insights into what your goals/strengths as a photographer actually are. It's going to be good. Really good.

Read a little more about the class...

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Finding Your Photo Style Workshop
6 weeks starts 5/23/2013 $68

Looking for some incredible photo ideas? Look no further than Finding Your Photo Style, a 6-week online workshop packed with creative photo tips, tricks, and insider secrets that will help you find (or refine) your own signature photography style.

In Finding Your Photo Style, you'll get to know six premier photographers who take stylish, stunning, and unique pictures of their families and their everyday lives—while also working as professional photographers in their own corners of the world.

These photography pros are ready to spill some of their best secrets and challenge you to try their favorite photo ideas for yourself! Through inspirational videos, downloadable challenges, and hands-on exercises that cover photography tips and post-processing tricks alike, you'll discover the looks that suit you best.

Tracey Clark, Southern California
Rebecca Cooper, Raymond, Alberta, Canada
Elizabeth Dillow, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Maggie Holmes, Gilbert, Arizona
Andrea Jenkins, Southern California
Kate T. Parker, Atlanta, Georgia

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As with all Big Picture Classes workshops, you'll have "forever access" to the classroom and all materials, so even if May is a busy time for you like it is for me (hahaha she laughs crazily) you can always revisit if you fall behind!

You can enter twice: once by leaving a comment on this post with either a few words that describe your style or a few words about what you'd like your style to be, and once if you share this giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. If you've already registered and paid for the workshop, you'll get a full refund if you win : ) I'll close comments and pick a winner sometime in the next few days, so, you know, hurry and enter!

Snow Day!

The girls had their first snow day ever today... you know, hardy plains people and all that. But after two very questionable calls on holding school that resulted in emergency pickups and ridiculously bad roads plagued with many accidents and emergency no-travel bans inside city limits (and even a bus that went off the road with kids on it, though they were all OK) the district finally cried uncle last night and called a snow day for today. This storm has been a "long duration spring snow event," and I can't remember when we had more snow at once. March 2003? January 1978? It's been a while. I even learned a new meteorology term: Conditional Symmetrical Instability, which is what developed last night to cause even more snow.

Meteorology would have been high on my career options had I grown up out west.

I will be desperate for snow for the remainder of 2013 and 2014, so we made the most of it today.

This is a questionable game called Sled Down the Shed Steps. I don't like it, but I haven't put a total stop to it, either. We need to get out for real sledding once the sideways snow stops and before it melts.

Monkeys.

The dog loves snow. LOVES IT. She loves to bury her head in it, and jump around in it, and chase people in it, and kick it up with her paws. It is a great sadness that we can't let her off her tie-out in the yard. She hasn't tried to bust out of the house since the day we adopted her but today when we were coming in to change out Bridget's gloves, she busted out the side door and ran around the yard in circles in it. We finally had to physically remove her from the out of doors before she got herself into trouble off leash : )

Please don't make me move out of this house.

Some Go Fish was played.

There was some reading time (Bridget is currently reading Tuesdays at the Castle).

Gracie wrote her persuasive journal entry homework about how snow is the best weather.

Maddie worked more on her new hard music (Clementi).


I made Pioneer Woman brownies yesterday to celebrate all of us arriving home safely, and we happily ate round 2 for lunch today.

Snow days are the best, even if I am wildly behind on all the other stuff I was supposed to be doing instead today : )

Grandma Rinehart

My Grandma, date unknown. I have the cardigan and I have the boots and I may make a trip to Mama Said Sew in Fort Collins soon, clutching this photo, to beg one of my fabric friends to make me the dress, too.

Ten on Friday

1. Last week I ran over to Target to get boring things like Windex and toothpaste and whatnot, and discovered a magic portal where I ended up at a whole bunch of stuff from Rifle Paper Co., Paperchase, plus some beautiful new things from Greenroom/Clementine Paper. I blinked my eyes and it was still there. NICE WORK, TARGET, NICE WORK. You make buying Windex and toothpaste and whatnot ever so much more fun. 

2. Matt's birthday is tomorrow. Day 3 of the NSI (big inspection) is tomorrow. Needless to say, birthday #41 will be a little less exciting than birthday #40 was last year : )

3. I'm working furiously on many things at once, which tends to make me a little on the crazy side. Ahem. But they are fun things! Photo shoots, and photography/design for some stores downtown, and something new and big you aren't going to want to miss coming soon (also from Big Picture Classes). Also, did you sign up for Finding Your Photo Style yet, photography types? It's going to be so much fun and thoroughly educational.

4. See? Fun stuff.

5. May is 19.5 days away. <cue ominous music>

6. Bridget was singing a little 1970s Melanie Safka to herself in the shower last night. Which falls into the category of never a dull moment with that one.

7. Speaking of which, on Wednesday she tossed her backpack inside without actually coming in the house and went out to play in the snow for an hour. Normally she prefers to wait for a sister or two to come outside and play, but when there's snow on the ground she becomes very focused on getting out as fast as possible. Bonus: do you see the weird thing in this picture? Heh.

8. One of my old speechies made her debut as ESPN's newest anchor last night. I am so super-proud of her.

9. I got my cholesterol test results back yesterday, and the dr was concerned about how high it was. I startled him with my glee, because HELLO, 35 points lower than last time. That's grounds for a party. : )

10. Recurring theme in my life: the need for an extra six hours a day. With that, I'm off and running. Happy weekend!

At Least Your Afternoon Wasn't This Ridiculous, Or, The Identification of a Probable Willis Sister Characteristic

We were hit by a terrible blizzard starting on Monday night that lasted until late last night, dumping some 8-14 inches of (very welcome) snow in the southeast corner of the state depending upon the location. Like good rule-followers and former Girl Scouts everywhere, I looked at the weather reports on Monday morning and ran the appropriate pre-blizzard errands to prepare. Maddie had her (last) book club here (sniff) on Monday night and Gracie had gym, but by 9 pm we were all home finally and pretty excited for what would assuredly be a snow day on Tuesday. I even put the phone on my nightstand so I could grab it more easily when the phone rang to alert us on Tuesday morning around 5:15 am.

Except, no. No snow day. Kind of unbelievable, actually, given the windspeed, wind chill, hurt-y pelting snow whipping through the air, and the fact that much of Denver called their schools off at 9:00 pm on Monday night. Matt drove Maddie to the bus stop on his way to work and I drove Gracie and Bridget to the bus stop when it was time for their bus—something we've never done before, even on the coldest of days around here. The snow was coming in bands, and after a while it settled down for a little bit in the morning. Fine, I thought. Even though the Dillow girls have never experienced the glorious gift of a snow day in their lives, whatever.

And then around 1:00 pm it started to get bad again. I checked the weather, and the Storm Tracker local weather page I follow on Facebook, and it looked like it was going to be pretty bad for a while. I was feeling a little cranky about the girls being at school but went back to working on my class stuff. And then at 1:55 Maddie called feeling sick. She never calls feeling sick, so I grabbed my coat and my snow sneakers and set out to get her.

Oh, was I mad at this point. The weather wasn't just bad, it was dangerous. I lost the road (at 20 mph) twice on the interstate, where I was lucky that I wasn't involved in a 15 car pile-up as a semi raced past us all at 60+ mph kicking snow up everywhere. Why in the WORLD were the schools not called already? It took me almost 40 minutes to make an 18 minute drive. Got Maddie, sick as advertised, and stumbled back to the car through the blowing snow. Before we left I let Angie know I would not be making it back for the 3:00 pm scheduled conference call I was supposed to be at, and then saw the school district sent an emergency email directing parents to pick their kids up immediately due to inclement weather. WHAT?? Seriously, you have to be kidding me, right? Send hordes of worried parents out onto those roads all at once?

After another harrowing 25 minutes we made it to Gracie's and Bridget's school, where Maddie was looking worse and worse and worse. Not wanting to leave her in the car, we headed across the parking lot where it is unpleasantly windy on a good day (no trees, edge of town) and then it happened: in the midst of all that chaotic emergency pick-up with parents struggling to even make it into the building, Maddie had to throw up. Immediately. We ran to the front yard of the school, where she did. A lot.

And then, it happened. I started laughing. Involuntarily. A little bit hysterically. All while patting the back of my poor, poor Madeline, doubled over, throwing up all over someone else's school grounds. The principal scurried past me (people were literally scurrying everywhere) and looked at us strangely, this strange not-his-student-yakker and her vaguely familiar grownup, the one with the inappropriate giggling going on. Which made it worse, because hello, of all the days and locations to get sick? This was clearly the most ridiculous. And then I started thinking about my sisters, and wondering if this was an inappropriate reaction we all share, and by then it was literally a Herculean effort to pull myself together at this point, frozen eyelashes and all.

I called Marie to do a little investigative research after we finally made it home, and after she had a brief stomp-cackle (this is a kind of laugh we Willis girls have sometimes, The Stomp-Cackle—kind of catchy, isn't it?) she agreed that this was very likely A Thing. Maddie has since regained her sense of humor some and can see her future in the actions of her mama and aunts, and is mostly resigned to her inherited bit of crazy. On the bright side, at least she'll know why she's laughing one day.

: )

15 Second Review: The Ostrich Pillow

OK, I'm sorry, but when I saw this picture come through on my Fab email I nearly fell over.

BECAUSE THAT IS THE MOST INGENIOUS THING EVER.

It's called the Ostrich Pillow. It's like they've been watching my family for years, trying to figure out how they could make us more comfortable when we sleep in public places. Or how one might prevent getting blue lines on one's cheek from the drooling-on-notepaper-while-sleeping-at-King-Library nap. (Ahem.) Or how one might prevent the temporarily dislocated eye socket from taking a brief nap on a practice room grand piano. (Double-ahem.)

I will be giggling about this for the rest of my life.

The end.